A-board charges plan is shelved by Shropshire Council

The council had proposed following other towns such as Liverpool in charging for pavement space and granting a licence for 12 months.

But last week the authority shelved its plans, which had been under review for more than two years, amid opposition from councillors.

At a meeting of the Place Overview Committee, councillors debated the matter and concluded that it would not be in the interests of businesses for a change to be made to policy.

In a report to members of the committee, Gary Parton, the council's traffic manager said: "We would like to develop and implement a process to licence the use of A-boards within Shropshire to ensure their safe use whilst encouraging business custom."

He asked the committee to agree to develop an application process which 'clearly demonstrates appropriate terms and conditions for the use of an A-board in Shropshire to advertise products/services outside the frontage of the business property, specifying board dimensions and permitted hours of display'.

He then suggested that a consultation be opened to garner the opinions of people living in Shropshire.

But councillors went against the recommendation to overhaul the system.

Councillor Andy Boddington, who represents Ludlow, said: "Everyone agreed that a licencing and charging scheme was the wrong approach.

Safety

"Instead, the committee asked officers to work with local councillors and communities to draw up clearer guidance on where A-boards can be placed to ensure safety of pavement users, including those with limited mobility and visual impairment.

"Shropshire Council only gets six complaints a year about A-boards. But they can be a hazard for people with partial sight and limited mobility. Most A-boards do not present a risk to pavement users but a few are placed where they restrict access.

"I conducted a survey of Ludlow A-boards; there were 98 in the town centre, of which more than 20 were on private property or covered by a Shropshire Council pavement licence. The committee agreed that the day-to-day oversight of A-boards would best be devolved to town councils. They are on the spot and most have local workforces. I am confident that this is the right approach.

"We don’t want to make the guidelines overly bureaucratic but we do want to ensure they are very clear. That’s what retailers need. If they know the rules, they can work within them."

A-boards have been banned wholesale in towns across the country including York City, Edinburgh and Bradford.

Shropshire Council was contacted for comment.